Albert Barnes Commentary Isaiah 19

The burden of Egypt - This is the title of the prophecy. For the meaning of the word “burden,” see the note at Isaiah 13:1. The word ‘Egypt’ in the original is מצרים mı̂ts^erayı̂m; and it was so called after Mizraim the second son of Ham, and grandson of Noah.

Sometimes it is called Mazor (2 Kings 19:24; Isaiah 19:6; Isaiah 37:25; Micah 7:12); where, however, our English version has rendered the word as “besieged place or fortress.”

The ancient name of the country among the inhabitants themselves was “Chimi or Chami” (Χημυ Chēmu). The Egyptian word signified “black,” and the name was probably given from the black deposit made by the slime of the Nile.

‘Mizraim, or Misrim, the name given to Egypt in the Scriptures, is in the plural form, and is the Hebrew mode of expressing the “two regions of Egypt” (so commonly met with in the hieroglyphics), or the “two Misr,” a name still used by the Arabs, who call all Egypt, as well as Cairo, Musr or Misr’ (Wilkinson’s “Ancient Egyptians,” vol. i. p. 2).

The origin of the name ‘Egypt’ is unknown. Egyptus is said by some to have been an ancient king of this country.

Behold, the Lord - This is a bold introduction. Yahweh is seen advancing to Egypt for the purpose of confounding its idols and inflicting punishment. The leading idea which the prophet probably wishes to present is that national calamities—anarchy, commotion, revolution, as well as physical sufferings—are under the government and direction of Yahweh.

Rides upon a swift cloud - Yahweh is often represented thus as riding on a cloud, especially when he comes for purposes of vengeance or punishment:

And he rode upon a cherub and did fly,
Yea, he did fly upon the wings of the wind. (Psalms 18:10)

Who maketh the clouds his chariot,
Who walketh upon the wings of the wind. (Psalms 104:3)

‘I saw in the night visions, and behold, one like the Son of Man came with the clouds of heaven’ (Daniel 7:13). So the Saviour is represented as coming to judgment in the clouds of heaven (Matthew 24:30). Compare the sublime description in Habakkuk 3:3-10.

And the idols of Egypt - It is well known that Egypt was celebrated for its idolatry. They worshipped chiefly the heavenly bodies; but they also worshipped all kinds of animals, probably as living symbols of their gods. Shall be moved. That is, shall tremble, be agitated, alarmed; or shall be removed from their place and overthrown. The word will bear either construction. Vitringa inclines to the latter.

And the heart of Egypt - The strength; the courage; the rigor. We use the word “heart” in the same sense now, when we speak of a stout heart, a courageous heart, etc.

Shall melt - The word used here denotes “to dissolve” and is applied to the heart when its courage fails—probably from the sensation of weakness or fainting. The fact alluded to here was probably the disheartening circumstances that attended the civil commotions in Egypt, when the people felt themselves oppressed by cruel rulers. See the Analysis of the chapter.

And I will set - (סכסכתי sı̂ksaketı̂y). This word (from סכך sākak) properly means “to cover,” to spread over, to hide, conceal, to protect. Another meaning of the verb is, to weave, to intermingle. It may mean here, ‘I will arm the Egyptians against each other’ (Gesenius); or, as in our version, ‘I will mingle, confound, or throw them into discord and strife.’ The Septuagint renders it, Ἐπεγερθήσονται Epegerthēsontai—‘They shall be excited,’ or, ‘raised up.’ Symmachus, Συμβαλῶ Sumbalō. Syriac and Chaldee, ‘I will excite.’ The sense is that there would be discord and civil war, and this is traced to the agency or overruling providence of God—meaning that He would “permit and overrule” it.

Compare the notes at Isaiah 45:7: I make peace, and I create evil; I, Yahweh, do all these things; Amos 3:6: Shall there be evil in a city and Jehovah has not done it? The civil war referred to here was probably that which arose between the twelve kings in the time of the Dodekarchy (see the Analysis to the chapter), and which resulted in the single dominion of Psammetichus. Dr. Newton (“On the Prophecies,” xii.) supposes, however, that the prophet refers to the civil wars between Apries and Amasis at the time of the invasion by Nebuchadnezzar. But it agrees much better with the former discord than with this. The description which follows is that of anarchy or civil strife, where “many” parties are formed, and would naturally lead to the supposition that there were more than two engaged.

And kingdom against kingdom - Septuagint, Νόμος ἐπὶ νόμων Nomos epi nomōn—‘Nome against nomes.’ Egypt was formerly divided into forty-two “nomes” or districts. The version by the Septuagint was made in Egypt, and the translators would naturally employ the terms that were in common use. Still, the event referred to was probably not that of one “nome” contending against another, but a civil war in which one dynasty would be excited against another (Gesenius), or when there would be anarchy and strife among the different members of the Dodekarchy. See the Analysis of the chapter.

And the spirit of Egypt - . They will be exhausted with their long internal contentions and conflicts; and seeing no prospect of deliverance, and anxious that the turmoils should end, they will seek counsel and refuge in their gods and necromancers, but in vain.

Shall fail - (נבקה nâb^eqâh). Margin, ‘Be emptied.’ The word means, literally, “to pour out, empty, depopulate.” Here it means that they would become disheartened and discouraged.

And I will destroy - Margin, as the Hebrew, ‘I will swallow up.’ So the word is used in Psalms 107:27, All their wisdom is destroyed (Hebrew, ‘swallowed up.’).

And they shall seek to the idols - According to Herodotus (ii. 152), Psammetichus had consulted the oracle of Latona at Butos, and received for answer that the sea would avenge his cause by producing brazen men. Some time after, a body of Ionians and Carians were compelled by stress of weather to touch at Egypt, and landed there, clad in brass armor. Some Egyptians, alarmed at their appearance, came to Psammetichus, and described them as brazen men who had risen from the sea, and were plundering the country. He instantly supposed that this was the accomplishment of the oracle, and entered into an alliance with the strangers, and by their aid was enabled to obtain the victory over his foes. Compare the different accounts of Diodorus in the Analysis of this chapter.

The whole history of Egypt shows how much they were accustomed to consult their idols (see Herodotus ii. 54 and following, 82, 83, 139, 152). Herodotus says (ii. 83), that the art of divination in Egypt was confined to certain of their deities. There were in that country the oracles of Hercules, of Apollo, of Mars, of Diana, and of Jupiter; but the oracle of Latona in Butos was held in greater veneration than any of the rest.

And to the charmers - (אטים 'ı̂ṭı̂ym). This word occurs nowhere else. The root אטט 'âṭaṭ — in Arabic, means “to mutter, to make a gentle noise;” and this word probably denotes conjurors, diviners (see the note at Isaiah 8:19). The Septuagint renders it, ‘Their idols.’

And to them that have familiar spirits - (see the note at Isaiah 8:19). The Septuagint renders this, ‘Those who speak from the ground.’

And to the wizards - Septuagint - Ἐγγαστριμύθους Engastrimuthous - ‘Ventriloquists.’ The Hebrew word means a wise man, a soothsayer, a magician (ידענים yı̂dı̂‛onı̂ym from ידע yâda‛ “to know; ” see Leviticus 19:31; Leviticus 20:6; Deuteronomy 18:11). This fake science abounded in Egypt, and in most Eastern countries.

And the Egyptians - The Egyptian nation; the entire people, though divided into factions and contending with each other.

Will I give over - Margin, ‘Shut up.’ The Hebrew word (סכר sākar) usually has the sense of shutting up, or closing. Here it means that these contentions would be closed or concluded by their being delivered to a single master. The Septuagint renders it, Παραδώσω Paradōsō - ‘I will surrender.’

Into the hands of a cruel lord - Hebrew, ‘Lords of cruelty, or severity.’ The word rendered ‘lord,’ meaning master, is in the Hebrew in the plural number (אדנים 'ădônı̂y). It is, however, generally supposed that it is pluralis excellentiae—denoting majesty and dignity, and applicable to a single monarch. The connection requires this, for the state here described would be different from that where many rule, and it seems to suppose that one should succeed to the many who had been contending.

In the parallel member, also, a name in the singular number is used—‘a fierce king;’ and as this evidently denotes the same, it follows that the word here is used to denote a single monarch. The plural form is often thus used in the Hebrew (Ezekiel 29:3; Hosea 12:1). God here claims jurisdiction over the nation and says that he will do it—a most striking illustration of the power which he asserts over contending people to deliver them to whomever he wills.

Dr. Newton supposes that this was Nebuchadnezzar, or more properly Cambyses, by whom Egypt was made subject to the authority of Persia, and who was eminently a cruel man, a madman.

But the more probable interpretation is that which refers it to Psammetichus. Twelve kings were in contention, of whom he was one. He called in the aid of the Arabians, the pirates of Caria and Iona (Herodot. ii. 152; see the Analysis of the chapter; Diod. i. 66). This was in the twentieth year of the reign of Manasseh. Psammetichus reigned fifty-four years and was succeeded by Nechus his son, called in Scripture Pharaoh-Necho, and often mentioned under that name.

Psammetichus, during a considerable part of his reign, was engaged in wars with Assyria and Palestine. He is here called a ‘cruel lord;’—that is, an oppressive monarch—probably because he secured the kingdom by bringing in foreign mercenaries—robbers and pirates—to his aid, and because his wars made his government oppressive and burdensome.

A fierce king - Hebrew, ‘A king of strength’—a description particularly applicable to one who, like Psammetichus, had subdued eleven rivals, and who had obtained the kingdom by conquest.

And the waters shall fail - Here begins a description of the physical calamities that would come upon the land, which continues to Isaiah 19:10. The previous verses contained an account of the national calamities by civil wars.

It may be observed that discord, anarchy, and civil wars are often connected with physical calamities, as famine, drought, and pestilence. God has the elements, as well as the hearts of people, under His control; and when He chastises a nation, He often mingles anarchy, famine, discord, and pestilence together.

Often, too, civil wars have a tendency to produce these calamities. They annihilate industry, arrest enterprise, break up plans of commerce, and divert the attention of people from the cultivation of the soil.

This might have been in part the case in Egypt; but it would seem also that God, by direct agency, intended to afflict them by drying up their streams in a remarkable manner.

From the sea - The parallelism here, as well as the whole scope of the passage, requires us to understand this of the Nile. The word ים (yâm) is sometimes used to denote a large river (see the notes at Isaiah 11:15; Isaiah 18:2).

The Nile is often called a sea. Thus Pliny (Natural History 2.35) says, ‘The water of the Nile resembles the sea.’ Thus, Seneca (Quaestiones Naturales 5.2) says, ‘By continued accessions of water, it stagnates (stagnat) into the appearance of a broad and turbid sea.’

Compare Herodotus 2.97; Diodorus 1.12, 96. ‘To this day in Egypt, the Nile is el-Bahr, “the sea,” as its most common appellation.’ ‘Our Egyptian servant,’ says Dr. Robinson, ‘who spoke English, always called it “the sea”’ (Biblical Researches, vol. 1, p. 542).

And the river - The Nile.

Shall be wasted - This does not mean entirely, but its waters would fail so as to injure the country. It would not overflow in its accustomed manner, and the consequence would be that the land would be desolate.

It is well known that Egypt derives its great fertility entirely from the overflowing of the Nile. So important is this that a public record is made at Cairo of the daily rise of the water. When the Nile rises to a less height than twelve cubits, a famine is the inevitable consequence, for then the water does not overflow the land. When it rises to a greater height than sixteen cubits, a famine is almost as certain, for then the superabundant waters are not drained off soon enough to allow them to sow the seed.

The height of the inundation, therefore, that is necessary to ensure a harvest is from twelve to sixteen cubits. The annual overflow is in August. The prophet here means that the Nile would not rise to the desirable height—or the waters should fail—and that the consequence would be a famine.